Hall of Fame
One of the elite gymnasts in the storied history of the Gustavus gymnastics program, Katie Kortuem Olson was named the National Collegiate Gymnastics Association’s (NCGA) Gymnast of the Year and the Honda Award Winner for Division III in 1999 when she claimed individual national titles in the all-around, vault and balance beam in front of a partisan home crowd at the Lund Center. Olson’s total of 9.75–9.70—18.45 in 1999 was the highest championship score on the balance beam in the history of the NCGA and her single routine mark of 9.75 still stands as the highest beam score in the history of the Gustavus gymnastics program. A seven-time All-American and one of only four gymnasts in the program’s history to earn All-America honors three times in the all-around, Olson is still the only Gustavus gymnast to qualify for the national meet in the all-around for four consecutive years. She placed fifth in 1997, fourth in 1998, first in 1999, and eighth in 2000. Olson also sparked the Gusties to three top national team finishes including second in 1999, and sixth in both 1998 and 2000. In addition to her prowess in gymnastics, Olson was also a three-year member of the volleyball team and was selected as captain her senior year.
After graduating with a major in elementary education, Olson was a sixth grade teacher at Chaska Middle School East for five years, while also serving as the assistant gymnastics coach first at Mankato East and then at Eastview. She stepped away from teaching to stay home and raise her young family from 2005 to 2011. In 2011, Olson opened K&G Gymnastics with Gabe Essay and the gym is booming with over 700 young gymnasts enrolled this year. Olson also served as the head gymnastics coach at Gustavus for the 2012–13 school year. Katie lives in Mankato with her husband Brent (’00) and their children Emmett, Ella, and Weston.
